Nega maluca
Chocolate cake
Nega maluca: moist Brazilian chocolate cake under a glossy poured chocolate glaze
Every Brazilian has eaten this dark, moist chocolate cake at a children's party or a family afternoon, cut into squares in the tin with the glossy glaze dripping into each piece. It is mixed by hand in one bowl with oil and hot water, so it is the cake that home bakers from Porto Alegre to Recife can make without thinking. The topping is a simple cocoa and milk syrup boiled until it just coats a spoon. Chef's tip: pour the glaze over while the cake is still warm so it soaks a little into the top.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the cake
- 8 ½ oz plain flour
- 9 oz sugar
- 1 ¾ oz cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp baking powder
For the glaze
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz cocoa powder
- ⅔ oz butter
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 22 × 33 cm tin.
3 minStep 2: Whisk the 8 ½ oz plain flour, 9 oz sugar, 1 ¾ oz cocoa powder and 1 pinch salt together. Add the 3 eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil and 1 tsp vanilla extract, then the 1 cup hot water, and whisk to a smooth, thin batter. Fold in the 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 tbsp baking powder.
5 minStep 3: Pour into the tin and bake for 30–35 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
35 minStep 4: For the glaze, bring the ¾ cup milk, 3 ½ oz sugar, 1 ⅜ oz cocoa powder and ⅔ oz butter to the boil and simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Boiling it too long is the usual mistake; it sets hard like fudge.
6 minStep 5: Prick the warm cake with a fork, pour over the glaze and leave to cool in the tin before cutting into squares.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nega maluca take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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